LETTERS: A rare car visits, Labour anger over spending and legacy of Boris

We have a beautiful car called the TS2, which we have at the Ramsey Rural Museum on Sunday August 7 and Nene Valley Railway on Monday August 8.

Also, we are planning to stop at Ely Cathedral on the Sunday lunchtime for a quick photo selfie on our route through, so if anyone Ely Standard reader would like to join us on the day, we would love to see you guys too.

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the amazing TS2, which is the first right hand drive production TR2 built in Banner Lane, Coventry in 1953.

TS2 is currently on a round Britain relay, aiming to meet all of the 53 local TR Register Car Clubs on its route, us - the Camb Followers - being one of them.

TR Register members are able to drive this amazing historic car, so you may see it out and about in Ramsey and/or Stibbington too, but if you get the chance, please come and see it in the flesh, we would love to see you.

TRACY CORE

Pearls of wisdom missed

It was a delight to see the return of Barry Collins to the letters page, I must admit I was beginning to worry since we hadn't seen any pearls of wisdom for quite some time.

And thankfully, as a result of Mr Thompson's letter - for which I say bravo - this is half the size that it needs to be.

I also found myself in the strange position of agreeing with Mr Collins, up to a point.

All the leaders that he named were pretty dreadful, largely cut from the same cloth that shrouds the UK's so called 'ruling class'.

But this is where our brief concord draws to a close.

I think that Mr Collins was trying to convey that Thatcher (the queen of privatisation, cosying up with the sinister government of Ronald Reagan that committed more acts of terrorism in the 80s than any other country, who destroyed much of UK industry in unquestionably cynical and damaging ways) and Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson were somehow better than Blair, Brown and Cameron.

And let's not forget Nick Clegg in all this, and how his coalition nearly destroyed the Labour Party

Cameron was forced into a referendum that he didn't want by a master strategist who I hold in the highest contempt, Nigel Farage, and the result was Brexit.

Blair led an illegal invasion based on no evidence that should have seen him stand trial for war crimes, along with Bush.

I wonder how many sporting events the UK and USA were banned from during this illegal war, the hypocrisy in this world oozes like sludge.

Boris Johnson has overseen the 2nd highest number of deaths per capita in the world as a result of Covid, which is unarguably shocking for a so-called developed world.

But I don't need to list all of BJ's errors, they are legion and we know them only too well now.

I think that the timing of Mr Collins letter was fantastic, shortly before the Pincher story broke.

Boris Johnson will go down as one of the most disastrous, disorganised and dishonest prime ministers in UK history, that is a fact, and that is pretty good going considering some of the competition.

An interesting point on Pincher; this wasn't the first time he had been in trouble for similar behaviour.

And yet he was repeatedly employed by the Tory party, proving what many people suspect, that there is a culture within the party that regards sexual misconduct as acceptable.

I'd like to see some hysteria and an investigation a-la Corbyn, a-la antisemitism (in other words, defending Palestine).

And of course, he was the potential leader that was different to all of those named.

Put simply, Labour under Jeremy Corbyn terrified a great deal of rich and powerful people, who own almost everything, and so they turned the big guns on him.

The Independent reported that three-quarters of newspaper articles about Corbyn failed to represent him or his views accurately (so they lied), and he is reported to have been the most smeared politician in history.

If you called him unelectable, you fell for it.

One of the most passionate and consistent anti-racist, anti-war campaigners was portrayed as a racist, terrorist, antisemite., and the majority swallowed it, hook line and sinker.

The trouble with that is that no-one likes to admit that they have been fooled, but just the merest scratches beneath the surface reveal many sinister goings on when Labour under Corbyn was running for PM

Oh, what could have been.

ANDREW BIRLEY

Ely

‘Utter contempt’ for public

This Government (as all others) appear to have an utter contempt of the English public that are the electorate.

That has put them in power.

The local MP Steve Barclay is now giving out advice on how to survive the heat wave due in the next two days.

It is understandable that information is released and warnings given, what really infuriates me is the fact that the minister in charge now seems to be the most important person to do it.

What about true professionals, academics, NHS officials, etc. they would all be better off putting out warnings, rather than an MP lauded with an assumed knowledge of all things.

Governments really should think about what this one example tells the thinking public about the superior knowledge the have since being elected.

None of them have such inbuilt abilities, A façade of untruths are put out and it appears that the media cow tow to them.

ALAN LAY

(A disgusted ex county councillor)

SisterSafe welcome

A reminder that we are looking forward to welcoming you to the launch of our SisterSafe (women and girls' street safety and self-defence project) here in Littleport. Friday, 22nd, 6 pm till 7.30. Adams Heritage Centre, 17 Main St, Littleport.

Our SisterSafe project has attracted a great deal of support from local agencies, in particular, the Community Safety Partnership and Littleport parish council, and we are extremely proud to be launching this initiative.

In view of the possible hot weather the presentations will be brief and informal.

Covid-sanitation measures will be in place. Masks are optional. We will be giving guests a pack containing all the material/s that participants will receive in the workshop sessions. This includes a specially-commissioned safety information booklet and personal alarms.

It happens that our launch coincides with National ASB AWareness Week. So, we are holding an information drop-in event for the general public on the following day, Saturday 23rd July.

We're delighted that Ms Joanne Coe (Community Link Worker (Youth) has involved members of the PORT Youth Club in ASB AWareness week. They have produced some Anti-ASB posters and art works of their own, which will be on display.

We look forward to seeing you.

DEB CURTIS

(Project leader SisterSafe ,Field Theatre Group)

‘Bailing out’ developers

How many more times will the public purse be asked to bail out developers in South Cambs?

We’re worried that South Cambs District Council doesn’t actually know the answer to this question.

South Cambs asked Greater Cambridge Partnership for £20m to help fund moving Waterbeach railway station to the New Town. Plus, a £17m loan for the money the developer is contributing.

And South Cambs District Council is taking £12.85m from its capital reserves for community facilities in Northstowe.

In both cases the developers agreed to provide the infrastructure. In both cases the developers now say they can’t afford to build the infrastructure they promised. This is what is politely known as a ‘funding gap’.

This is not the same as when local or national Government decides in advance to invest in infrastructure to support development. It’s the complete opposite.

I am very concerned about the fact that taxpayers are now bailing out the developers. And worried that there may be other projects where developers will be holding out their hands for public money.

That’s why I posed a question to the Lib Dem leadership at this week’s South Cambs Council Cabinet meeting.

I asked about risk assessments they’d carried out to see if there are other ‘funding gaps’ about to come forward for public subsidy. I know if I were in charge of planning, I’d want to check what other risks are lurking in development projects.

From the way that Cllr Hawkins responded, I don’t think any such risk assessment has been done.

This is extremely worrying as we are talking about substantial sums of public money here. Money that is meant to be for greatly needed projects elsewhere.

ELIZABETH McWilliams

SE Cambs Labour

‘Lost Splendours’ lecture

The Arts Society, Ely will be hosting its next meeting on Thursday 21st July at 7.30pm. (Doors open at 7pm)

This will be a lecture entitled ‘Lost Splendours: unfortunate events and extravagant monarchs’ given by Arts Society lecturer Andrew Prince.

Due to the refurbishment of our usual venue, we will be meeting in the Recital Hall which is part of King’s Ely Music School. Access will be from Church Lane. Parking is available at nearby Barton Road car park with only limited disabled parking on site.

Visitors welcome £7 on the door. Refreshments available for £1 after the lecture.

Further information about the society can be found on our Facebook page and on our website www.theartssocietyely.org.uk

SUSAN

Ely Arts Society